Astros call up reliever Framber Valdez

1of53PHOTOS: Astros game-by-game
Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez works against the Texas Rangers during a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Browse through the photos to see how the Astros have fared in each game this season.Photo: Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

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Record: 9-5
Houston Chronicle's Player of the GameJose Altuve & Yuli Gurriel
The Astros hit two grand slams in a game for the third time in franchise history.Photo: Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

ARLINGTON — Following their 9-4 loss to the Rangers on Saturday, the Astros exchanged lefthanded relievers, optioning Reymin Guduan to Class AAA Round Rock in favor of Framber Valdez. Valdez will join the team on Sunday in Arlington.

The move was not reactionary and has been planned for a while. Guduan threw two scoreless innings in Saturday's loss and finished his major league stint allowing two earned runs in 2 ⅔ innings.

Valdez was initially sent down to Round Rock on April 11 to better refine his routine out of the bullpen. At the time of his demotion, the 25-year-old Dominican had not pitched in five days.

At Round Rock, Valdez threw four innings with no walks and six strikeouts. He has not pitched since Wednesday.

Chandler Rome joined the Houston Chronicle in 2018 to cover the Astros after spending one year in Tuscaloosa covering Alabama football — during which Nick Saban asked if he attended college. He did, at LSU, where he covered the Tigers baseball team for nearly four years. He covered most of the Astros' 2015 playoff run, too, as an intern for MLB.com

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